As a Dog Lover...

...all I can say is, "Holy crap!"

Weighing in at over 245 pounds and standing 43 inches tall, George is the Guinness World Record holder for the Tallest Living Dog and Tallest Dog Ever. The Great Dane, now 6 years old, is almost 100 pounds bigger than other dogs of his breed, twice as tall as an average Golden Retriever and about the same weight as four German Shepherds, 11 Beagles or 26 Shih Tzus.

Must Reads

Justin Rosario: Supreme Court To Re-Examine Its Citizens United Ruling

Andrea Grimes: Texas Rep, Having Failed to Pass Anti-Choice Law, Orders Department of Health to Do His Bidding Anyway

Philip Kitcher: The Taint of 'Social Dawinism'

Paul Krugman: The Gullible Center

Maureen Dowd: Men in Black

Eclectablog: Major conflict of interest for elections panel member reviewing Emergency Manager petition challenge

The Fox Mole: Announcing Our Newest Hire: A Current Fox News Channel Employee

E.J. Dionne: Tell us more about Romney’s ‘private’ views

President Obama's Weekly Address - April 14, 2012

It’s Time for Congress to Pass the Buffett Rule

What Is Wrong With Foster Freiss?

Billionaire Santorum, and now apparently Romney, backer Foster Freiss should just sit quietly behind the scenes, sign the checks and keep away from the lens side of a camera.

“There are a lot of things that haven’t been hammered at because Rick and Mitt have been going at each other,” Friess said during an interview on Fox Business Network. “Now that they have trained their barrels on President Obama, I hope his teleprompters are bullet-proof.”

What. The. Fuck.

Look, I know he was speaking in metaphors and his comment wasn't meant to be taken literally, but is it possible for just a moment to not use gun analogies when speaking of the President, ANY President, of the United States?

I think the best way for Freiss to stop with the stupid comments is to put an aspirin between his lips as an effective method to stop diarrhea of the mouth. What an idiot.

**UPDATED** Relatability

POSTED BY JHW22

Hilary Rosen created quite a firestorm last night. In my view, the firestorm is more about the offense people perceived rather than the truth she put forth. Her phrasing was inarticulate, but her point was relevant.

Yes, I know the Obama administration is wanting people to back away from Rosen's comments. I understand that. But guess what? I don't always agree with the administration and in this case, I'm going to take a stance as someone a little more knowledgeable on the issue than Axelrod or President Obama.

I am a Stay-at-Home Mom -- a SAHM. But not married to a millionaire. And I think Rosen's comments were valid: the wife of a millionaire should not be revered as a "surrogate" for her husband on women's economic issues. We can share being moms and the regular concerns that go with that. But the relatability stops there. I think it's MORE than acceptable to call out Ann Romney as being out of touch with women who make the work/family choice because of economic requirements. Good for her for choosing to stay home to raise her kids. But she can't relate to moms whose choices are made for them by economic realities.

I also notice a trend lately. Seems that when women get mad and start debating, the issue we're debating is called a "distraction". Sorry folks, but talking about how women provide for their families, whether they can or want to stay home or work outside the home, how she manages to pay bills, save for college, pay for activities, etc IS AN ECONOMICALLY RELEVANT DISCUSSION!

The war isn't between SAHMs or moms who work outside the home. The war is on women who are consistently being pushed back -- in policy and discussion. Mitt Romney is SO out of touch on women's issues that he is sending his wife out to defend him and speak for him and gather information for him.

All Rosen was saying, and I agree, is that as lovely as Ann Romney may be, as wonderful of a mother as she may be, she will NEVER be able to relate to me or the millions of other women who didn't have the luxury to make the "choice" she made. That's a point we should all be ready to state again and again. It's not a personal attack. It's a reality that must matter in the debate over women and our economic role in America and the fact that the Romneys have no business speaking for the average family.

UPDATE:

Since I posted, Ann Romney has said "my career choice was motherhood." Seems to me that is as rhetorically offensive as Hilary's implication that being a mom isn't a job. But I haven't heard anyone criticize her implication that women who don't stay home, don't choose motherhood. But that's OK. I also find it interesting that Ann Romney also said we all need to respect the "choices" mothers make. Oh, so she's pro-choice?

Also since my original post, the Catholic League Tweeted

Lesbian Dem Hilary Rosen tells Ann Romney she never worked a day in her life. Unlike Rosen, who had to adopt kids, Ann raised 5 of her own.

And I haven't heard any outrage about that.

Hilary Rosen has also since apologized.

Here's the deal, folks, Ann Romney has had struggles. Yes, MS and motherhood is hard. But PLEASE understand that we do not relate to each other based on our struggles. We relate to each other on how we can get through those. My mother-in-law had MS and eventually had to stop working as a nurse, go on Medicaid and live in adult foster care. Her resources were limited. THAT was hard on all of us. I'm not about to suggest Ann let nannies raise her kids and, let's face it, moms who work outside the house have to rely on others to help raise their kids, but the struggles Ann Romney faced or faces today are lessened by her access to help with those struggles.

We can relate about being moms. DO NOT try to relate to me on the economics of being moms.

Why Do We Care...

...what this deranged, megalomaniac has to say about anything?

U.S. Rep. Allen West told about 90 largely supportive Palm City voters Tuesday that locally prioritized federal projects — such as the St. Lucie Inlet dredging — aren't going to matter if Washington officials don't address a mounting deficit...

The conservative tea party icon also got in shots at Democrats and President Obama, who spoke Tuesday at Florida Atlantic University. West said Obama was "scared" to have a discussion with him. He later said "he's heard" up to 80 U.S. House Democrats are Communist Party members, but wouldn't name names.

He's "heard"? Well I "heard" that Allan West likes to have sex with goats, and how can you trust a goat fucker? No really, it must be true because I "heard" it. See how that works?

A big round of applause for the 21st Century Joe McCarthy.

ADDING... A Sarah Palin endorsement for VP must count for something, huh? Well, at least in the Land of the Cuckoos.

ALSO... Yes, I'm sure one of the smartest Presidents we've seen in generations is "scared" to debate or have a conversation with Allan West. That must be it.

Is It Over Yet?

CBS: Rick Santorum is poised to suspend his bid for the presidency on Tuesday, removing the last significant obstacle in Mitt Romney's now all-but-certain march to the Republican presidential nomination.

Santorum will make the announcement at a press conference in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania shortly, a senior member of his campaign staff told CBS News.

My first thought: He didn't want to get embarrassed in his home state in two weeks. My second thought: He may be crazy, but at least he's smarter than Newt Gingrich. And my final thought: Santorum making his announcement at Gettysburg seems so apropos.

Mike Wallace Dies at 93

CBS News legend Mike Wallace, the "60 Minutes" pit-bull reporter whose probing, brazen style made his name synonymous with the tough interview - a style he practically invented for television more than half a century ago - died last night. He was 93 and passed peacefully surrounded by family members at Waveny Care Center in New Canaan, Conn., where he spent the past few years. He also had a home in Manhattan.

As faithful reader Nowhere Man said to me today, "He lived a full life. I wonder how he felt about his son becoming a right wing douche."